Member Transformations – Mike

I joined CFGH on February 20th. I was driving down Chatsworth and saw the new sign so I poked my head in. I was greeted by Mike and signed up for my first class. After trying many things since college to get back into shape, I figured lets give CrossFit a try. It was the best decision of my life. I was a former athlete and skinny guy until I stopped playing competitively but kept my food choices the same. I went from 185 lbs to 232 lbs in 10 years and I tried everything. I joined a gym, AKA the fat tax – you pay for it but never go. I tried personal training, P90X, the Hollywood Cookie Diet and NutraSystem. Everything worked a little, but I could never keep it up or follow through with it.

My first day, we did Pistols and sprints. It was terrible. Pistols are one legged squats and I went full speed trying to be competitive. As I was leaving, Mike told me to come the next day. I thought he was joking but I came back. I could barely walk, but Mike said he would fix it. I didn’t realize “Fix it” was crushing your legs with a foam roller. The pain was 10X worse, but then it went away. The workout the next day complemented the previous days. I was able to keep exercising while my body healed from before. I kept coming back for the people also. Everyone there is beyond nice and helps you if you are new. There is no stigma if you don’t know what you are doing and Mike or Tyler will be right there to help you.

I have been going there about 6 times a week for just under 6 months. I have changed my diet with their help and I am now in the best shape since my junior year of college. I have lost 40 lbs and at least 12% body fat. Before I joined I heard the horror stories of CrossFit and talking to some of my friends at different boxes, I can see where those concerns come from. Mike and Tyler never just say “Lift” or “Just do a bunch of cleans”, they take the time to explain and show you the lift each time to make sure you stay safe. They break it down into each part, even for those who have been there for 6 months. This is to keep all of us safe and lifting correctly. At CFGH you are trained by one of the two owners each time. This is not some gym that some guy opened and hired a bunch of 24-year-olds with 3 kinesiology units to “teach” you and yell at you. This is their career, and you benefit from that. You get only their best each and every day.

My goals are to get down to 185 lbs and lose about 5% more body fat. I know I will achieve this with their help and the help of everyone at CFGH. One of the best parts of CFGH are the people. Once you find a class that fits your schedule you will start seeing the same people each day. This bond keeps you coming. If I miss a few classes I know I will get a text from Israel. The “Game of Thrones” and “True Detective” Monday morning discussions are not to be missed. Now that both shows are over we need to find a new show to talk about. My favorite moment at CFGH is any morning we are not being “tricked” into a mile or doing a ton of Burpees.